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I am new to Crohn's and Colitis.  Seems I have been hit with a double whammy!  What I am trying to do is find out how to sort through all the restricted foods!  Is it a "hit or miss" thing?  Or is there (somewhere) a place I can find a starting point?  I need to know what foods to avoid and what foods I can attempt to try.  I am a fairly disciplined person and changing my lifestyle isn't the problem, it's getting the correct information!

Thanks, any and all support will be appreciated.

Good Bless

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

You asked the Number 1 question everyone always wants to know.  While there is no "Crohn's Diet", certian foods can contribute to flare ups. I am a Registered Dietitian and I also have Crohn's so I hope this helps. Avoid black pepper, foods that contain nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds). This would include cucumbers with seeds, squash, tomatoes, etc. Also no dairy products, for probiotics, find a good one in pill form, NO YOGURT. A juicer is a great idea, when I flare up I get out my juicer and juice carrots and beets, and I also drink chicken stock/broth to get my protein.  Its not the most tasty thing in the world but it helps heal the gut. Avoid sugary drinks and foods with a high sugar content, and caffeine.  Also avoid raw fruits and vegetables (unless you juice them).  No fruit juice because of the high fructose! Beef can be hard to digest too.You may be saying what can I eat? Well, that leaves chicken, turkey, fish, cooked vegetables and fruits, water, rice, and potatoes. You may also have to cut out bread because of the sugar content. Try using butter intstead of margarine since it has less milk in it.  Hope this helps.

 Reply posted for papanena99.

My cousin who has crohns has determined that alcoholic beverages definately cause flare-ups.  Popcorn is a huge no-no for me.  Onions that aren't cooked wayyyyy down do not make my digestive track very happy.  It sure would be easier if "they" had a list of do's and don'ts instead of this "everyone is unique" stuff. 

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

Correct information can be found in your own research and through continuously fluxing trial-and-error. Research. Question your sources. Up-to-date college-degree-accredited books are usually more reliable than the internet. Try to avoid claiming valid information which is offered to you through a marketperson. Try ingesting things in small incriments and one at a time if you feel courageous. Give each introduction 24 hours of personal evaluation before moving on to the next.

I'll try to help in saying that a juicer makes for a nutritionally rich diet that is loaded with free-radical-fighting antioxidants, and if you do it right, you can decrease your levels of systemic inflammation, a great contributor to your IBD. I encourage you to look into IF -- the Inflammation Factor -- and in trying to put your consumption in a positive rating of anti-inflammation by the end of every day, for your own benefit as a part of whatever regimen you have going on by means of treatment and prevention.

Also, get a good probiotic and don't let up on it. This may take some time. Yogurt alone is not enough. Research the different types of cultures and what each does. Get a good variety pack, consume it daily. Know that it can be written on the outside of a container, "contains 10,000 live & active cultures, etc." and that statement may only be true for the day of manufacture. Digestive enzymes don't hurt. Prebiotics are nice, too. I consume Turmeric supplements atop many antioxidants... anything to reduce inflammation & promote floral balance speaks for the general IBD poopulation, lol.

Good luck.

=Carla

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

There are many books out there about diet and IBD, it can be confusing.  I have read that dairy, red meat and high-fat, greasy foods are hardest to digest.  I would also not eat raw fruits and vegetables or whole nuts and popcorn.  I agree with the others -- things like rice, pasta, chicken, turkey, and cheerios work best for my daughter.  Start a food journal and keep track of what works well and what gives you problems.  Everyone is different and you will not know until you try.  Good luck!

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

I agree with Pete & the rest. Been diagnosed for quite awhile. Frustrating as it is. there will always be good and bad days. Just find what works for you. Like Pete said, stay away from "fiber" and things hard to digest, ie skins on fruits or potatoes. At this point in the beginning don't worry about what's good just try jasmine rice, pasta some ground chicken, turkey or ground beef, bland in the beginning. Work up from there. And then to add the nutrients add a proteing drink (check the fiber on the label) use boost or something like that. Just start slow my friend. During the bad times just stick to the supplement drinks and some comfort food that works... for me its toast. And Anita I know salsa & chips my down fall too! Take care God Bless.

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

Many of the foods that can cause pain or discomfort fall under the category of "roughage." Many things like popcorn, nuts/seeds/legumes, some fruits, and leafy vegetables can definitely hurt. When I was diagnosed, I was very frustrated because I've always tried to eat well, and it seemed very difficult to do so when I couldn't have an apple for a snack or a salad with dinner. Like the others said, tolerance to many foods is individualized, and I learned mostly by trial & error. However, after a while, you should be able to look at a meal or dish and figure out what you can & cannot eat. I hope this helped a little.

Pete

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

I agree with Anita-- everyone is different. My daughter was just given the green light to start adding back in some of the foods we couldnt have before but doc said just like giving a baby food for the first time----- only one of the not sure foods at a time- then you can isolate problem foods easier.

 Reply posted for llandry1229.

I am not sure there is a set rule as far as food.  My dr put me on a bland diet at the beginning of this flare-up.  He gradually started adding things back.  I think you just have to see what works for you.  I had chips, salsa, and margaritas this weekend and I don't think that was good for me.  I think we just have to live and learn.

Good luck learning what works for you.  God bless you.

Anita